FAQ: Research papers and Exam preparation

Research Papers

When planning your research paper (i.e. term papers and final theses), please hand in a proposal comprising the following four parts: an abstract of one to two pages containing the working title of your paper, an outline and the corresponding bibliography. (1) The abstract defines the aim(s) of your paper, it explains methodological aspects and explains the significance of the chosen topic. (2) The working title specifies the subject area and the focus of your paper, and the form you have chosen. (3) The outline describes the structure of your paper. Make sure to indicate a word-count for chapters and sections of your paper. (4) The bibliography lists primary and secondary sources, including texts you have already read and those you still need to read. Further information on how to write a paper can be found here. The following evaluation sheet gives an overview of the assessment criteria for papers.
Your proposal also contains: your name, email, date, seminar title or type of exam.
Handout/Exam preparation

Please prepare thesis statements for your oral (modular or final exams) and written exams. The thesis statements and the corresponding bibliography should be handed in two weeks prior to the oral exam. Mark these documents with your name, email, date, your degree programme, type of exam, date of exam. Exams for the Staatsexamen or Magister are structured as follows. Before the exam, you have to register with the respective Prüfungsamt. A staff list which indicates who offers which types of exams can be found here. Before registering for the exam, please come to my office hours for consultation and leave your contact details with the office, using the following form: information about examinees (German).
Examinees participate in selected sessions of my Betreuungsseminar. To discuss issues such as MAPs, theses (Magister, Bachelor, Master, Staatsexamen), oral and written exams and thesis statements, please come to selected sessions of the Betreuungsseminar. Please take a look at the syllabus to find out which topic will be discussed on which date (for details, please take a look at the folder in the library of the English seminar) and chose the sessions that best fit your needs.